Barack Obama has released a picture of himself skeet shooting in an attempt to silence his critics in the gun lobby who doubted if he had ever fired a gun in the ongoing gun control debate in Washington.

The photograph of the president doing some recreational shooting at Camp David last August was published on Friday, after Mr Obama said in an interview that he enjoyed blowing off some steam at the range.

Skeptics took the president to task after he expressed admiration for the sport, calling for some photographic evidence of the president taking aim.

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Guns a blazing: The White House released this picture, taken on Aug. 4, of the president skeet shooting after skeptics questioned Mr Obama's claim that he enjoyed shooting at Camp David

The picture was released nearly two months after the Sandy Hook massacre, as Democrats wrestle with gun lobbyists over tightening firearm restrictions.

Amidst the debate, President Obama was asked whether he had ever fired a gun, in an interview with The New Republic published on January 27.

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'Yes, in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time,' he said.

'Not the girls, but oftentimes guests of mine go up there. And I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations,' he continued.

'And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake.’

Really? Previously, the only firearm Mr Obama had been pictured with was a water gun

His comment was seen as a way to assuage conservatives angered by his plans to ban assault weapons as part of a drastic overhaul of gun laws.

The Obama administration has called for new measures to curb gun violence in the wake of the December 14 shooting massacre at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut that claimed 26 lives.

This week, the tragedy remained on the American consciousness as The Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety convened in Newtown.

Made up of 48 lawmakers from across Connecticut, the task force is focusing on school safety, mental health and gun violence.

Emotions ran high as parents and relatives of the victims of the December shooting spoke at the hearing.

Gun control was also the topic of a Senate Judiciary Committee this week, after calls from the Obama administration to impose stricter gun laws.

California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has introduced legislation that has been criticized by gun-rights advocates and the hearing was held to begin the Herculean feat of crafting legislation to satisfy both sides of the aisle.

The Wednesday hearing on Capitol Hill began with a statement read by former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was injured in a January 2011 Tucson shooting.

Tragedy: The nation was shocked when 20-year-old gunman, Adam Lanza, entered the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, CT on Dec. 14 and killed 20 students and 6 teachers

Scared: Chilling scenes, like this Sandy Hook student being escorted by police from the school on Dec. 14 after the shooting massacre, shocked the nation

But some were skeptical that the president was an avid gunman and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) even challenged the Commander in Chief to shoot with her.

'If he is a skeet shooter, why have we not heard of this? Why have we not seen photos? Why hasn't he referenced this at any point in time?' the Congresswoman said on Monday on CNN's 'Erin Burnett OutFront.'

'I tell you what I do think,' Ms. Blackburn said, 'I think he should invite me to Camp David, and I’ll go skeet shooting with him and I bet I’ll beat him.'

Presidential pastime: John F. Kennedy skeet shooting at Camp David with actor David Niven and Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee in May 1963

Hunter: Former President George W. Bush, pictured in October 1994, is an avid hunter

The image of the Democrat with a gun baffled others as well.

'It was a surprise to a lot of people in the industry when we saw that and heard that,' Michael Hampton Jr., executive director of the National Skeet Shooting Association - of which the president is not a member, told the New York Times.

'Officially we have no idea whether he does participate or not. Only him or his people would know that,' he had said.

President Dwight Eisenhower installed the shooting range at Camp David in the 1950s

Reporters even quizzed White House press secretary Jay Carney the day after Mr Obama's comments were made public and the Obama adviser failed to provide details.

'I don’t know how often. He does go
to Camp David with some regularity, but I’m not sure how often he’s done
that [skeet shooting],' Mr Carney stated.

'When he goes to Camp David, he goes to spend time with his family and friends and relax, not to produce photographs,' he added.

After
the media hoopla, the official White House decided to release a
photograph of the president, dressed casually in jeans and a black Nike
polo shirt, holding a rifle and shooting clay targets at the range at
Camp David, Maryland.

The shotgun is cocked in Obama's left shoulder, his left index finger is on the trigger and smoke is coming from the barrel.

Though the picture was taken on August 4, 2012, the photo was only released on Friday to silence skeptics.

The shooting range at the presidential retreat was installed by President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s.

The retired Army general enjoyed shooting and even brought visiting dignitaries, including Prince Charles, to join him.

Presidents
John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush are among the former
U.S. leaders who have also been photographed packing heat.

Mr Obama's predecessor, 43rd
President George W. Bush, is an avid hunter who enjoyed the sport at
his ranch in Crawford, Texas - which was dubbed the 'Western White
House' during his tenure.

His Vice-President, Dick Cheney, also
enjoyed the practice but landed in a tight spot when he accidentally hit
his shooting companion, Texas millionaire Harry Whittington, while
quail hunting on a Texas ranch in February 2006.